


Today's another day to find you

by Apolloclover



Category: The Magicians (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate universe where everybody talks about their feelings, Angst, F/F, F/M, Fix-It, Fluff, M/M, Memory Loss, Resurrection, Unsafe Sex, no beta we die like men, the old gods are a little dumb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-23 09:32:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18547054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apolloclover/pseuds/Apolloclover
Summary: Brian has no idea why all these people keep crying when they see him but it is seriously awkward to have to comfort random strangers while trying to get a damn coffee.Also known as the five times Quentin was recognized but didn't remember them, then the one person he did.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, I haven't written fanfic in a couple years but the end of season 4 had me shook and I needed a fix it. Never written for magicians so sorry if the characterization is off. I hope y'all enjoy it!

He was trying to make photocopies of a book when he first heard them.   


“I am telling you it has to be the pipes, that is the easiest explanation for it.” Brian looked up to see a short blonde girl and a woman who looked to be nearly six feet tall next to her. Not the sort of people he would expect to be looking at pipes, especially with their spiffy suits and glasses.

“You must speak quieter Alice,” said the taller woman, “you never know who might be listening.”   
  
“Please,” scoffed the blonde, presumably Alice, “they will probably assume we are talking nonsense and ignore us.”   
  
“That may be true but the hedges could be listening. They will understand what we are talking about.”   


“The hedges are allowed to know. The knowledge of the pipes is free and we promised not to keep things from them, remember Zelda?”   
  
“My apologies,” Zelda replied, “I forget our new way of doing things. I had grown, accustomed to the old ways.”

“Its okay,” Alice sighed, “let’s just fix the pipes.”   
  
_ This must be the weirdest form of LARPing that I have ever seen. _ Brian mused to himself before walking by the pair to put the book back on the shelf next to them. As he walked by, the blonde girl looked up and her face went pale, eyes widening in surprise. 

“Quentin?” 

Zelda looked up at Alice’s words and her face had a similar reaction as Alice’s. “Dear me, this is the last thing I expected.”   


“I’m sorry who is Quentin?” Brian looked at them in confusion. 

Alice composed herself and steadied her hand on the printer. “I’m so sorry, you look just like a friend of ours.”   
  
Brian chuckled nervously, he wondered what happened to Quentin that made the two women have such a reaction to seeing him. “Sorry no, I’m Professor Brian Mender. I teach english here.”   
  
Alice nodded but Zelda looked at him with an increased interest. “How long have you taught at Columbia Mr. Mender?”   


“Doctor actually, and about three. They hired me as soon as I graduated.” He smiled at them, feeling like he was being scrutinized. He tried to back away from their uncomfortable stares, “anyways have fun with your LARPing, but please don’t damage the library.”

He power walked away from the pair, looking back only to see the pair had vanished into thin air. The blonde girl’s voice echoed through his head  _ maybe I never told you this, but you are the best thing that's ever happened to me. _

Brian just shook his head to clear the thoughts, dismissing it as just another weird part of his day and walked to his next class. Tightly clutching the papers in his hand.

...

Brian knew phones could be distracting but this guy took it to whole new level. 

The man in front of him was round-faced with dirty blonde hair and spectacles. He was on his phone arguing with somebody as he stepped of the curb.

“For the last time Margo, no I did not tell Fen to buy eight dozen roses for our anniversary, she just thought it would be the best way to get you to stop with your first poly relationship anxiety. Yes I know that you hate mushy- oh shit.”

The “oh shit” was because Brian had pulled him away from getting his by a truck flying down the street. Unfortunately in his attempt to save him the boy had fallen down on top of Brian and crushed him, knocking the breath out of his lungs.

“Fuck thanks man I didn’t even see that car coming, here let me help you up.” Brian took the offered hand and looked into the man’s grey eyes. “Holy crap,” the man breathed out.

“Are you okay?” Brian asked. He looked him over and didn’t see any marks. In fact he was willing to bet he was more beat up than the guy in front of him. 

“Yeah I’m fine, sorry my girlfriend was yelling at me because our other girlfriend was being too nice.” He rolled his eyes and shrugged.

Brian laughed, “I’m Brian by the way.”

The other boy raised and eyebrow, “you sure about that?”   
  
Brian decided to pretend that it wasn’t the weirdest question to ask a stranger. “Yeah pretty sure.”

The other boy’s eyebrows raised even higher. “Right okay, well my name is Josh. I guess I’ll see you around Quentin.” He raised his hand in farewell and walked away.

“My name’s not Quen- oh forget it.” Brian shouldered his bag and continued walking home.

…

The next people to call him Quentin was another pair of LARPers in his favorite coffee shop, blocking the sugar. They were arguing over how to find something called a ‘Horn of Gabriel’ for Baba Yaga. Probably some sort of questing roleplay.

“Listen here Lovelady, I know your sources are reliable but Marina swore up and down that this person had a Horn of Gabriel. She is a nun in Nazareth, the literal city he supposedly touched down in.”   
  
“You aren’t listening to me Kady. I have a friend who collects this sort of religious crap. I am almost certain that he has one.” 

“Almost certain isn’t as good as sworn up and down. Marina is a crafty bitch and now that she is completely whipped by her wife she is almost an honest one. Besides, my girlfriend says my idea seems smarter.”

“So we have to choose between almost certain and almost reliable then?”   


Brian was tired of waiting, “excuse me please, I just need to get to the sugar.”   
  
The curly haired girl gave him an indicative wave. “Look Pete, Quentin will vouch for me.”   
  
“Why do people keep calling me Quentin.” Brian mumbled passive aggressively.

Suddenly Kady froze and looked directly at him, as if his presence had just fully registered with her. “Holy shit Alice wasn’t kidding.” She composed herself, “I’m so sorry, is your name Brian by any chance?”   
  
Brian chuckled nervously, “how do you know my name?”   
  
“You might have run into my- I mean Alice. Kind of short, blonde with glasses?” Kady’s skin took on a faint blush but she maintained eye contact.   


Suddenly things made sense, “let me guess, you know a guy named Quentin who looks exactly like me and are now freaking out about it?”

“Knew,” Kady replied softly. Her face took on a long, drawn look.   
  
Brian felt even more awkward than before, no wonder these total strangers were freaking out whenever they saw him. Not knowing what else to do, he put his hand on the girl’s shoulder. “I may not be Quentin, but I can tell he meant a lot to all of you and whatever pain you may feel for his passing will get easier.” His words were not the best to comfort but he hoped they would help.

Kady took in a deep breath, “you sound like you know what it means to lose somebody.”   
  
“Yeah I...” Brian trailed off. He had a vague memory of digging a grave but it vanished as soon as soon as he tried to focus on it.

“You okay?” Kady asked, concern coloring her tone.

Brian took his hand off her shoulder and shook his head “ I gotta go.” Turning on his heel he took off quickly.   
  
“Should we go after him?” Brian speed up at the sound of the man’s voice.

“No, leave him alone. We gotta get this stuff for Baba Yaga.”

Brian turned a corner and sat down, trying to cope with the thoughts running through his head. He saw the image of a seven point star and warm brown eyes. 

…

_ A man with wild curly hair, hand warm on top of his “Happy anniversary, Q. To our first and last year at this thing.”  _

_ “Mm.” _

_ “- Hey.” _

_ “- Hey.” _

_ Anxiety pumping through his veins, warm lips against his own. Surprised brown eyes staring into his own. A warm hand, sliding against his neck and the feeling of drowning in another person. _

Brian woke up slowly and tried to ignore his uncomfortable morning wood. He looked at his clock and saw it read “4:36.” What had woken him up?   


Suddenly there was a thump in his kitchen. He grabbed for the baseball bat next to his bed and crept out of his bedroom to investigate. A short woman was fiddling with some sort of device and holding it up to different trinkets on his counter. 

“Get the hell out of my house.” Brian demanded, raising the bat threateningly. 

Unfortunately he was unable to predict her launching herself at him. After a sharp pain in his shins and stomach he collapsed. The girl straddled his waist, grabbing his shirt and raising her fist to deck him in the face. She looked at him and froze before she hit him.

“Holy shit, Q?”

If I say no will you hit me? The other woman rolled her eyes and stood up, holding out her hand. “I thought you were a McAllistair or something. Those sons of bitches have been trying to fuck with me since we returned magic. Apparently it took away their leverage over the rest of us.”

Brian looked at her in confusion. Was this woman insane or was she just fucking with him? He rubbed his stomach where her foot had connected. How the hell was such a tiny person so strong?

She looked at him with amusement in her eyes, as if she knew what he was thinking. “Don’t take this the wrong way man, I’m glad you are alive but you are just as much of a wuss as I remember Coldwater.” She did some weird tutting motion with her hands and all the lights in the room turned on.

Brian just stared at her, trying to comprehend what was happening.

“I mean, I get why you went into hiding, but you couldn’t have just  _ told _ me? After everything we went through to save El- what are you doing?”   
  
Brian had run to grab his baseball bat and held it in a protective stance. “I don’t know who the fuck you are, or what the hell it is you just did but if you come any closer to me I  _ will  _ hit you.”

She raised an eyebrow, “wow, you really aren’t Quentin are you?”   
  
“For Christ's sake, look here lady-”

“Margo.”

“Margo, you and your friends need to leave me alone. I get your friend has died and I am so, so, sorry. Please, just leave me alone. My name is Brian Mender, I’m a professor at Columbia, I have no idea who Quentin is. Now please, explain what the fuck you are doing breaking into my house.”

Margo stared at him for a minute, then another, then another. “Well, Quentin certainly would not have had the balls to stand up to me.”   


She moved to sit in a chair and pulled out her device, motioning for Brian to sit down as well. “Look, Brian, I didn’t know that you lived here. I have been tracking the source of a big flare of magic since it went off about a year ago now. We first asked the library if it was the pipes, then I asked my boyfriend Josh to walk around putting down trackers.” She smiled at Brian, “thanks for not letting him get hit by a car by the way, it would have royally pissed me off if he died while I was yelling at him.”

“Wait,  _ you  _ are the crazy girlfriend who can’t handle affection?” Based on the three minutes he had known her, that wasn’t actually that surprising. 

“Hey, don’t call a girl crazy for being opinionated.”   
  
“I was calling you crazy for getting mad at somebody for buying you flowers to show that they love you.”   
  
Margo raised an eyebrow, “anyways, Josh put up the sensors around town and they triangulated onto your house. I doubt that you are the one sending off signals though. Anything new here?”

Brian stared at her, “are you saying magic is real?”   
  
“Oh shit you didn’t know that.” Margo fumbled her hands a little more and a song started playing in the house.

He tried to follow the sound but found it impossible. Ode to joy sounded significantly creepier when you couldn’t tell where it was coming from. 

“Holy shit.”   
  
“Yep, now I need to know pal. Anything show up about a year ago?”

Brian thought back. His memory of anything more that a year ago was a little fuzzy, the only thing he clearly remembered was a small box he had found in his closet. H e doubted it was that. Better to be safe than sorry though. He led Margo to his bedroom and showed her the shelf he kept it on.

“That is about it. It is just something I found while I was cleaning my closet. Probably not what you are looking for.”   
  
Margo went over and opened it, wide eyed. “Holy fuck dude.”

“What-”

“Shut up,” Margo typed in a number. “Hey 23, come pick me up.” She rattled off her address and a guy in hoodie showed up, her kept his back to Brian as he looked at Margo.

“Holy shit, is that what I think it is?” He pointed at the box.

Margo nodded, “we gotta take it to Alice right away. Holy fuck.” 

“Hold on a minute-” Brian reach out to stop them but they disappeared in a gust of wind. “Don’t take my stuff.” He sighed and turned to the clock “4:55.” Might as well get ready now.

…

The next encounter was sad. 

A girl on the street walked right up to him and pulled him into a tight hug, a sob wracking her whole body.

“Oh my god I can’t believe you are alive.”   
  
She pulled back and put both hands on either side of his face. Her bottom lip quivered and she just looked at him with so much relief that Brian assumed that Quentin had to have been her boyfriend or something.

“Jules,” called a voice behind her. Brian looked up in surprise, it was the same guy from his house the other day.

She turned around to look at the man, “Penny?”

“That isn’t Quentin, his name is Brian.”

Julia’s face froze, “oh.”   
  
“I’m really sorry about your boyfriend,” Brian said awkwardly. 

“What? Q wasn’t my boyfriend he was my bro- you know what no. I can’t. Penny lets go.” 

Penny hugged her to his chest, mouthing “sorry” in his direction before he disappeared.

_ Whoever you are Quentin Coldwater, _ Brian thought to himself,  _ I hope you knew how much your friends loved you. _

_ … _

Brian kept dreaming about the same man. His curly brown hair artfully styled out of his face, warm brown eyes that he just knew were teasing him. This dream was no different.

_ “There is no way that Teddy is going to be drinking Martinis while he is underage.” _ __  
__  
_ “Quentin, honey, he is almost twelve and you still haven’t let him drink so much as a sip of the peach schnapps. It is a damn shame.” _ __  
_  
_ __ “I find it very concerning that you think preteens should be allowed to drink.” The man smiled and looked back down at the paper he was doodling on. “Have we tried this order yet?” He held up a sheet and showed it to him.

_ He looked at it, it seemed vaguely familiar. “Yeah I think so, hold on.” He stretched his arms above his head before trying to get out of bed to reach for a stack of notebooks. An arm hooked around his waist and pulled him back down. _

_ “What-” He widened his eyes in surprised before he felt the press of warm lips against his own. He felt him smile against his lips before pulling away, “what was that for?” _

_ White teeth flashed, “Just wanted to remind you I love you.” _

_ A scream echoed in the distance and he looked away. “El-” he looked back but the man was gone. Where the cottage had been was a room. A broken mirror behind him. _

_ The man from three weeks ago and the blonde girl from the library are there. An unfamiliar old man stared at him holding his hand out, looking at his hand. He followed the look to a see a bottle clutched in his hand.  _

_ He didn’t know why but the broken mirror filled him with dread, and so did the man in front of him. All he could think of were worn brown eyes and peaches and plums. The only thing on his mind was all he had done to save the boy from the cabin.  _ Please Eliot, Alice, forgive me.  _ He thought to himself. _

_ He heard himself shout to the guy to take the girl and run and his hands moving. The mirror stitched itself back together and he threw the bottle into the glass.  _

_ The next thing he knew was pain. _

Brian woke up gasping. He looked at his hands, half expecting them to start disintegrating before his very eyes. Music was playing all around him and he felt himself tear up.

_ Take on me _

_ Take me on _

_ I’ll be gone _

_ In a day or two _

The music faded away and he saw that it was the middle of the night. Brian reached over for his sleeping meds and saw the bottle was empty. Groaning, he got out of bed, slipping into his sneakers. He slipped on a jacket, feeling for his house keys before stepping outside.

The 24 hour grocery store was around the block and thankfully the pharmacy was also 24 hours. While walking to the counter he passed by the produce section where peaches were on sale a dollar a pound. He stared for a bit before grabbing a couple. 

While waiting for the wizened man pharmacist to fill up his bottle he tossed around a peach, thinking about his nightmare. 

“Ahem,” said the man behind the counter.

“Yes?” Brian looked in confusion.

“Your prescription.”

Brian felt his face warm in embarrassment, “sorry, I must seem like an idiot.”

The man gave him a kind smile “I’ve been here for fifty years son, I have seen many more stupid people than you.”

_ Fifty years, who gets proof of concept like that. _

It all rushes back at once.

“Oh my god Eliot.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quentin explains himself

Quentin felt himself start breathing heavy, he had died. He had been ripped apart. His friends had mourned him. His friends were _still_ mourning him if how they reacted to seeing Brian was anything to go by. He hadn’t had a chance to say goodbye to Alice. He hadn’t had a chance to say goodbye to  _ Eliot. _

In the back of his mind he knew he was having an anxiety attack, but he couldn't get his breathing under control. Quentin's sobs tore their way out unhindered. He didn’t know how long he was like that until he came round to a young man patting his shoulder while a dark skinned woman rubbed his hands. 

“Easy there honey. You are okay now.” 

He recognized her too. “Our lady underground.”   


She smiled sadly before she kissed his forehead. Another wave of memories filled his head. These ones only sparked rage though. Quentin looked up but she had disappeared. He thanked the guy who helped him with his anxiety attack before getting up and running out of the store, leaving his medicine behind.

Sixteen months. He had been trapped in a memory stone for sixteen months because the gods couldn’t figure out that the Brian memories were completely made up by Henry Fogg.

“Next time you bring somebody back from the dead in thanks, do them a favor and ask before sticking the wrong memories in them!” He shouted to nobody in particular. The old gods had probably forgotten about him by now.

He ran home and got in his car before driving to Brakebills.

He banged on the wards. “Let me in Fogg!” Quentin shouted. If he hadn’t alerted them by the wards alone then he knew somebody would hear him.

Soon enough, he saw none other than fucking Todd. The boy’s eye widened in surprise “Brian Mender?”

“Get Fogg now, I need to talk to him.”

“Why would-”

“Now, dumbass.”

Todd nodded and ran off. Less than an hour later he returned with Dean Fogg in tow.

“Dr. Mender, did you somehow follow Ms. Margo here?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Quentin snapped back. He sighed, “please Fogg, we need to talk.”

...

“Please explain what Dr. Brian Mender is doing in my office.”

Quentin told him about seeing the campfire scene before passing through the veil. “After I died the old gods thought they would do me a favor and bring me back to life.”   
  
Dean Fogg raised an eyebrow, gesturing for him to continue.

“I passed through to the afterlife and the doorman greeted me and told me about the ‘honor’ being bestowed. I tried to say no because frankly, I was a little happy to be able to relax for the first time in my life. But they didn’t listen and still brought me back. The couldn’t figure out that the Brian Mender memories you gave me were fake so they decide to split our consciousness and memories in two. The second part was in a memory stone. The one that Margo had taken.”

Quentin sighed and gestured to nothing in particular, “they believed I would figure out the memory thing out myself and fix it on my own. The memories were leaking out slowly when I first found it in my closet. I think when Margo opened the gift the stone was fully released and my memory came through fully in my dreams. All I needed was to "unlock my mind" or some other bullshit. I finally accidentally triggered its full return in a supermarket.” Quentin laughed, “can you believe that I fixed myself in a fucking  _ grocery store _ ?”

“Well Quentin, I am very glad you are alive. You have been sorely missed. Perhaps this means you will be able to help us with another prob-”

“Brian?” Julia’s voice rang out in the room. He turned to see her come in the room followed by Penny.

He grinned widely, walking towards her “guess again.”   


Julia beamed and wrapped him in a hug, after a while she pulled away and put her hand on his face. “How are you alive?”

Quentin rolled his eyes, “well if I have to tell the story again.”

…

“Can you believe that I fixed myself in a fucking  _ grocery store _ ?” Quentin and Julia laughed together while Penny rolled his eyes. 

“You are still just as much of a loser as I remember.”

“I saw you at my funeral 23, you missed me don’t lie.”

“Where did all this confidence come from?”   


“Call it an adrenaline rush.”

There was a knock on the door and Fogg opened it to reveal Alice and Kady, holding hands. Quentin raised an eyebrow and Alice blushed, tearing their hands apart before running to him and crushing him in a hug. “I can’t believe you’re alive.” He gently pushed her away, kissing her forehead. They were probably going to need to talk about their relationship at some point.

“How are you? Both of you?” He looked up at Kady who was staring at him with thinly veiled jealousy was fighting relief.

“Better now that you’re alive.” Alice smiled widely at him.

“How are you alive?” Kady asked, wrapping her arm possessively over Alice’s shoulder.

Quentin rolled his eyes, “I can tell the story again I guess.”

…

“Can you believe that I fixed myself in a fucking  _ grocery store _ ?”

Kady snorted so hard that the water she was drinking came out her nose. Julia and Penny were sitting in a corner, Penny idly playing with her fingers while she rested her head on her shoulder. Dean Fogg was, once again, drinking.

“So, you heard me singing at your funeral?”   


“Yeah, it was really touching. You have a great voice.” Kady flashed a small grin.

“This is nice and all, but Quentin I really do need to tell you about this prob-” Dean Fogg tried to say.

“Quentin Fucking Coldwater.” Margo stormed in with a flustered looking Fen and a half dressed Josh. Fen was furiously trying to button up her jeans while Margo was standing there with her own blouse completely open.

“I think you forgot something Margo.”

She flashed him a glare, “I’m in the middle of the best threesome of my life-”

“You say them about all of them Margo,” sighed Fen.

“The  _ best  _ and you decide to remember who you fucking are? So I gotta run down here half fucking naked to make sure that fucking Todd isn’t fucking with me?”

"Oh is that how you all found out," Quentin mused. He had been wondering whether or not it was a big coincidence they were all showing up in Dean Fogg's office.

"Can it Coldwater."

Quentin smiled shyly, he knew that Margo liked him enough but he hadn’t expected her to miss him this much. After being attacked in his house by her she had only seemed surprised. “I am glad you didn’t die Margo.” 

“Explain to me right the fuck now what happened.” Fen walked over and started buttoning Margo’s shirt for her.   


“Fine, fine, fine.”

…

“Can you believe that I fixed myself in a fucking  _ grocery store _ ?”

“Wait, so that thing I took from your house was a _memory stone?_   Alice and I have been trying to crack it for fucking months. We thought it was a battery.”

Quentin turned to Alice, “you didn’t say anything about that.”

“It slipped my mind, I was just so happy to see you.”

“Quentin Coldwater?” The inquisitive voice came from the doorway. Quentin looked up to see Zelda. 

He waved, “hey.”

“How are you alive?”   
  
“Fuck it, you guys have heard the story enough you can tell it.”

He went over to Alice, “hey can we talk?”

She looked over her shoulder to where Kady was arguing with Penny about something and nodded, “yeah I think we should.”   


After they left the room he turned to her, playing with a loose thread on his sweater. “Look, when I died I realized something. I love you so much, you were my first friend at Brakebills and are one of my best friends. You are so important to me it is just...” Quentin trailed off, unsure how to say what he needed to.

Alice sighed and held his hand, “it is just that I’m not Eliot.”

Quentin snapped his head up to look at her. “You know?”   
  
Alice laughed, “our relationship was a garbage fire that ended the first time because you had Eliots dick in your mouth and it should have stayed over.” 

Quentin choked at that. “Interesting way to word things.”

Alice smiled. “Look Q, I love you too but we both knew the only reason we tried a relationship again was because we loved the idea of each other. Not because we were in love.” 

Quentin had not expected the conversation to go this way.

“You should know after you died I was a mess, I started dealing with by, erm, hooking up with somebody. I told myself it was casual sex but about six months in I couldn’t lie to myself anymore and well.” She gestured to the room they came from. "I guess loving her helped my realize that what I felt for you wasn't, well, romantic."

“Alice, I understand. I am just happy you found somebody.”

She blushed, “erm, before we found out you were alive I was in a jewelry store buying a ring.”

Quentin’s eyes widened, “are you?...”

Alice smiled widely “Yeah, I’m definitely going to propose. It may seem quick but life is short and I love Kady you know?” Quentin thought about Eliot, how he had said something similar when he had proposed to Eliot after Arielle’s death. 

She shook herself out of the goofy grin on her face “anyways, I knew you loved Eliot. You were ready to kill yourself to save him. It wasn’t very subtle. Not to mention the peaches and plums thing.”

“Quentin!” Fogg called for him. “I understand you were just resurrected. But we need to talk about the problem.

Quentin smiled and held his hand out to Alice “duty calls.”

When he got in the room, all excited energy at him being alive had dissipated. On the board was a map of Fillory and a bunch of X’ed out locations.

“What’s going on?”   
  
“Now that you are back we can maybe solve the problem.”

“Hold on just a minute,” Quentin had a thought that had been bothering him since everybody started showing up. “I want to call Eliot before we start on this other problem. Does anybody have his new number?”   
  
The room got uncomfortably silent.

“That’s the problem Q, Eliot has been missing for a year.”   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is the one I spent the most time on.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elliot is friends with a bear. Quentin is fucking pissed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Unsafe sex

“What happened?” There was no way, after all this, that Eliot was once again out of his grasp.

“After you were all better we went back to Fillory where a dark king had take over and banished both Fen and Josh. Eliot went off to go and find them while I went to fuck the king up.” Margo walked to point to a picture of Whitespire with a bunch of towers that hadn't existed before he died.

“Turned out to be Tick who had taken a couple sips of the magic spring and had it go to his head. I executed Tick, Fen was freed from her banishment, I put her back into power. Margo looked over at Fen with a self satisfied smirk "and then me and Josh turned her into a werewolf, the fun way.”

Fen blushed hard at that, “was that really a necessary detail?”

“I rocked your world Fen, hell yeah it was necessary.” Josh just rolled his eyes at Margo’s comment.

“Anyways, after all this Eliot still isn’t back so we sent a search party. Nobody found anything at all so now we are here. A year later, here we are.”

She looked at Fogg, “we were tracking the power burst so we could power a tracking spell powerful enough to break through whatever anti tracking ward he had on himself. The library thought it was a waste of resources, so it said no to letting us use to magic spring,” Margo flashed a dirty look at Alice.

“Look, just because I am your friend doesn’t mean I can give you enough magic to power a nuclear bomb. I had to use a lot of magic to restore ambient and the library’s wards. Not to mention-”

“Yeah I get it, still pisses me the fuck off. Anyways, we tracked the power burst which I’m guessing is from the gods resurrecting you, and found the memory stone. The memory stone gave off a shit ton of energy so we thought it was a battery. It went dead a little bit ago so we couldn’t use it.” Margo looked frustrated but still holding herself together.

“Are we assuming he was kidnapped?” Quentin asked. He looked at the board of possible solutions and scenarios for what could have happened.  
  
“Well, yeah. Why else would he go missing right after we saved his ass?” Penny raised an eyebrow.

Margo sighed, “yeah it makes sense Eliot would run away. But I have to believe he would contact us to let us know he was alive. He knows how protective Fen is.” Fen and Josh both rolled their eyes at that.

Quentin thought of the cabin at the Mosaic, how calm and untroubled Eliot had been after the first year. “Well if he _is_ hiding I think I know where he would go.”

Margo raised an eyebrow, “you sayin' you know something about El that I don’t?”  
  
“Well, yeah. We spent fifty years together in an alternate timeline.”

She didn’t like that answer but she accepted it, “fine, what do you want to do?”

“If you take me to Fillory we can both go there. I know that place like the back of my hand.”

...

“For the last time, it doesn’t have to make sense. We live in fucking Fillory.” Eliot looked at Fray with a mixture of affection an exasperation.

“I’m just saying, why would you be hiding from your _friend_ _s?_  Humbledrum is happy to help with getting ingredients for the cloaking spell but he is starting to catch suspicion from other talking animals.”  
  
“A large talking bear in a relationship with a human half his age, and the weird part is that he is trying to buy things for a cloaking spell?” Eliot raised an eyebrow and took a drag from his cigarette.

“Okay, point made. But we really want to get married and if you keep up with this hiding nonsense then Fen won’t be able to come.”

“Let me guess, Humbledrum wants us both to be there?”  
  
“Humbledrum wants you both to be here.”

Eliot sighed and looked around his cabin for something to distract her. The idea of running into Fen again, into _Margo_ again, and having to see their pitying stares for another minute. To have to see Alice again and her grief over the death of her _boyfriend_. Eliot snarled internally at the word. He hadn’t expected him to wait, to be available when he got free from the monster. Then again, he also hadn't expected for him to die.

“Look, I just need some time. Okay Fray? This isn’t for forever.”

She sighed, “well when you decide to grow a fucking pair let me know okay? We’ve been engaged for two years now, he loves you pops but he also loves Fen. So my advice? Watch out for the day that love wins.”

Eliot waved her off, “yes dear.”

“Hey dad, want me to pick up some peaches before I get back?” Fray’s code word. Somebody was here.

Eliot tried not to not tense up, “how many were you thinkin'?”  
  
“Just three, wait, nevermind, two. Hey pops I thought you said that the sad long haired boy was dead?”  
  
That wasn’t part of the code. “What the fuck-?” Eliot stood up to stare out the window and what he saw stole his breath.

“Q?”

His hair was a mess and all over the place, like he had been running his hands through it. His slight stubble, brown eyes, and thin lips coming together to make the most dorky face Eliot had ever had the misfortune to see. The _pleasure_ to see. God, he is as beautiful as he remembered. Eliot must have finally gone to heaven.

“Hey there you dumbass motherfucking cockface.”

In the corner of his mind Eliot noted that Margo was talking to him but he was distracted, by Q. Quentin looked neutral. Eliot couldn’t read anything off him. He wanted to move but his feet were frozen. He tried to speak to him but his lips were locked. His entire body was too afraid to break the illusion. _Peaches and plums motherfucker._ He thought to himself.

A sharp slap across his cheek snapped him out of it.

“Hey, what the fuck Margo?”

“That’s what you get for dropping off the face of the fuckin earth.” Eliot choked as she wrapped him in a tight hug.

Eliot sighed and ran his fingers through the hair trailing down her back. “Did you miss me Bambi?” She just slapped the back of his head in response.

Eliot felt his gaze drawn back up to look at Quentin, the sun had caught on his dirty blonde hair. “Is that really..” Eliot’s whispered question trailed off, half terrified of the answer.

“Yeah, the son of a bitch showed up last night.”  Margo pulled away to smile at Q.

Eliot felt a smile creep on his own face and winked at Quentin, “I can’t believe you managed to stop the reunion sex with Alice long enough to help them find me.” Since they had shown up, Quentin had been frozen in place. Unresponsive. As soon as Eliot said that though something flickered across his face and he stormed over. “Q?”

Eliot stumbled as Q shoved him. “Hey what the fuck?”

“ _And_ that’s my cue to leave.” Fray slowly backed out of the Mosaic clearing and ran down the path. Margo followed behind her with a wink. Cowards.

“I come back from the dead and I find out the person I stood up to the monster for is _missing_?” Quentin balled up Eliot's shit in his hand and backed him up against the wall of the cabin. “I literally sacrificed my ass to make sure you would survive. Margo gave up her kingdom, countless hedges and other magicians worked their asses of to make an incorporate bond. Penny and Alice nearly _died_ and you decided to come out here for, what? A pity party?” Eliot knew it wasn’t the right time but Quentin looked really hot when he was angry. Eliot felt his own anger rise in retaliation.

“I came out here,” Eliot said in the most dangerous tone he could muster, “because while I was trapped in my own head, the only thing that kept me brave and kept me going was you.” Q’s breath hitched when Eliot said that, hands loosening their tight grip on his shirt. “Then you had to go and get yourself killed to save your  _girlfriend._ ”

"You idiot," Quentin sighed, "the only person I was thinking of when I died, was you."

Eliot forgot how to breathe for a moment, then it all rushed out in a whoosh. "Q," he whispered, "what exactly are you saying?"

Quentin stared into Eliot's wide brown eyes. "I'm saying, did it not ever occur to you that while you were trapped in your own thoughts, realizing you had feelings for me, that maybe I was fighting to hard to save you because I return them? That maybe I've been in love with you all this time as well? I'm saying it's you, Eliot. It's always been you."

And that was it. Game over. Eliot surged forward, cupping Quentin's face in his hands and captured his mouth. Q whimpered against his lips and it was the most beautiful sound Eliot had ever heard. He licked into his mouth, stroking his tongue against Q's.

He tasted of the nasty mints Fogg had in his office and it was like the taste of air after drowning. Q's hands moved up to fist in Eliot's curls and walked him backwards until he fell onto the bed, nimbly straddled Eliot's waist as they continued to suck and nibble at each others lips. When Eliot finally broke away to suck in a breath, Q just continued to grind down on his lap and proceeded to suck and bite along his neck. Eliot didn't want to stop, but he had to.

"Wait, wait, wait," Eliot tangled his fingers in Q's hair. It was shorter than the last time, and just as soft as he remembered. Q grumbled as he pulled his head back to meet his gaze.

Eliot had to take a minute to compose himself because Quentin looked practically sinful, his pink lips slick with spit, his eyes lust blown and nearly black with arousal. Hell, he could feel Q growing hard against him. "As much as I fucking love where this is going, cause believe me, I fuckin do, but you are forgetting about your girlfriend Alice. You know, little blonde girl who is probably still holed up somewhere pining over you. Should we maybe talk about that before we go any further? Cause I don’t forget, and last time we fucked and you two broke up you hated me."

Eliot thought it was a testament to how much he had grown in the prison of his own mind while a childlike monster wore him like a meatsuit that he was able to be a mature adult about it all, but he was pretty sure his cock was going to become sentient just so it could strangle him. They both remembered how it felt to be in Quentin, tight heat stretched around him, breathy moans in his ear.

"El," Q said as he started to slowly untuck his tunic, pulling it off of and over his shoulder, hand gently grazing the scar from Margo’s axe. "Alice is going to propose to Kady." With that, Q began to gently suck a mark into Eliot's neck, still tracing the scar with one hand while the fingers of his other hand trailed up under his shirt to tweak his nipples.

Eliot groaned. "Q, ah, fuck, I am gonna need an explanation here." Concentrating was hard and so was his dick.

"Fine. But then I'm gonna need you to shut up and fuck me because I just came back from the dead and I really need your cock inside me."

Eliot stared at him with wide eyes and a dry mouth nodding eagerly, still not quite convinced this wasn't a dream. Just and hour ago this man was dead and now he is very much warm, writhing in his lap, pressing against him in a way that made him feel warm all over.

He pushed Eliot back down to lie onto the bed, then casually stood upright and began peeling off his shirt. It took everything Eliot  had just to keep his hands to himself. As Q climbed off him and knelt down to untie the laces of his sneakers he spoke.

"You're right. Alice and I were dating before I died, but we talked before I found out you were missing. She knew that I loved you since before I even died and she knows I love you now. It's really not my place to say, but," Q paused to tug one boot off, then the other, "I think she and Kady are gonna last, they seem like they love each other."

Eliot sat up to drink in the sight of Q shirtless before him, and God was it a beautiful sight. As Q tugged off his trousers, Eliot couldn't hold back the moan, because Q was naked and his cock was hard and dripping and all Eliot wanted to do was lick. "But see, you wouldn't know that because you decided to go into hiding,"

Q pushed Eliot back flat on the bed and went to work on his belt, and Eliot instinctively raised his hips so Quentin could pull his trousers and briefs off. As Eliot pulled his shirt off, Q was busy licking his lips at the sight of Eliot's weeping cock and asked with a wide smile, "Are we done with the questions now?" Eliot just nodded and Q climbed over him, straddling his hips. He leaned down to take Eliot's lips in a hot kiss. Their cocks slid against each other, slick from their precome, creating a delicious friction, but Eliot wanted more. He deftly flipped them over and Q chuckled.

Eliot lavished his collar bone with kisses and his fingers traveled down to pinch and pull at Q' nipples in an attempt to get him to relax.

Q arched up. "Uh, god yes," Eliot smirked and slowly slithered down Q' body, paying special attention to his hip bones. He could spend hours on those hip bones, especially if it drew out the sweet moans and whimpers he was drawing out of Q now. But that thick cock was calling to him.

Q’s head fell back in a breathless moan as Eliot's mouth tongued at his leaking slit. He swirled the head in his mouth before going all the way down.

"Oh fuck!" Q yelled as his cock hit the back of Eliot's throat. Eliot hummed appreciatively around it and relax as Q reflexively pumped his hips into Eliot's mouth. "You, ah, you have to stop, ohhh fuck. I'm too close Eliot, ah."

Eliot slid off with a pop and laughed. "Don't worry, I've got you, sweetheart," he said, and Q whimpered at the endearment. Eliot drew him into a soft kiss as he reached up to grab a pillow and slid it under Quentin's ass.

“I forgot how good you were at that,” Q said as pulled his legs to his chest. Eliot parted his firm cheeks and blew a hot breath over Q's pink puckered entrance. Quentin howled obscenely as Eliot proceeded to tongue and lick at his hole.

"Oh, oh, oh, yes, hmm.  Eat me out, Eliot, just like I, oh fuck, fuck, just like that."

It was a miracle Eliot didn't come from that alone. He got up to find the pot of oil for lube but Q gripped at his arm and pulled him back down.

"Q, sweetheart, I need to get something for lube, there is no way I’m going in dry."

Quentin still held him close shaking his head before pulling him closed. After another long kiss that stole Eliot’s breath Q whispered against his lips, “please, can we just kiss a little more? I don’t want you away from me.”

Eliot just nodded, reaching down to stroke Q’s cock, thumbing at the slit which drew out another low moan. Eliot was so hard it was nearly painful at this point. “Please sweetheart, I want you so bad.” Q smiled against his lips, kissing him one more time before releasing him.

Eliot had never grabbed anything so fast in his life. Quickly grabbing the oil from the pot, Eliot paused for a moment to slick up his fingers, before slowly sliding one into Q's hole up to the knuckle. "Relax Quentin, relax," Eliot said as Q panted. _God, he was so hot and tight_ Eliot thought as he carefully worked him until he was three fingers deep and brushed over the bundle of nerves inside that had Q crying out and riding back on Eliot's fingers.

"Eliot! Eliot, I'm ready, please. Nnhgn."

“What do you need sweetheart?” Eliot teased, gently brushing over his prostate again.

“I need your cock, oh fuck, please. Fuck me El oh fuck-”

Eliot answered by slicking up his cock. He leaned forward and Q hitched his legs over Eliot's shoulders. Eliot slowly breeched Q's entrance and they both moaned loudly when he bottomed out. Forehead to forehead, they panted into each others mouths. Q pulled Eliot's head down for a biting kiss.

“God I missed this,” Eliot breathed against Q’s lips, waiting for him to adjust.

Quentin gently trailed his nails down Eliot’s back with one hand while the other fisted in his hair, pulling. Eliot moaned at the slight pain and instinctively thrust hard up into Q.

“Oh fuck,” Q let out another moan which Eliot tasted in his mouth. Quentin’s legs wrapped tighter around him as he pulled out of the kiss to whisper in Eliot’s ear, “are you gonna fucking move?”

Eliot didn't need to be told twice, and started slowly stroking in. Q was nearly bent in half and Eliot thanked God for whatever made Q so flexible.

"Faster, Eliot please, I need it. Ah ah, harder!"

"Sweetheart, I'm not gonna last," Eliot moaned, and when he angled his hips up to go harder,Q screamed.

"Oh God, right there. Right FUCKING there Eliot!" Q was a writhing mess, and Eliot made sure to keep nailing that spot on every other thrust. He could feel his balls drawing up tight when suddenly Q arched up. He was coming, untouched on a silent cry. The sight alone was enough to push Eliot over the edge.

"Oh fuck! God, I love you. I love you, Q!" Eliot slumped forward, burying his face in the crook of Quentin's neck. Q carded his trembling fingers through Eliot's sweat soaked curls.

"I love you too, Eliot, always."

Eliot pulled out and rolled over with an obscene squelch. He looked down at Q’s ass and noticed they forgot the condom. Quentin made a point to complain as such.

“This is gonna be a bitch to clean out isn’t it.”

“Sorry,” Eliot nipped at Q’s lips, “I’ll help you clean up?”

“Nah, I don’t wanna move right now. Besides, I like the feel.”

Eliot laughed and rolled off Q, wrapping his arm around his waist to pull him close. He put his head on his shoulder and kissed his neck, “let’s just rest for a bit, okay?”

“Hmm,” Q mumbled sleepily.

They dozed off after that, and when they awoke, their limbs were still entwined.

...

"I have to ask, why are you and Fray suddenly buddies?" Q's chin was propped up on one hand, looking down at Eliot. He trailed the fingertips of his other hand across Eliot's arm.

"Well, she isn't a bad person. When I showed up in her fiance's cabin drunk off my ass she helped me sober up. Then she helped me set up the cloaking spell on this place. Seemed like a good way to get away from people and over you."

Quentin’s eyes softened with both sympathy and amusement, "so she helped you throw your personal pity party and now you are all buddy buddy again?" he asked.

“Hey, I was hurting asshole. I kinda missed you.”

Quentin just smiled and pulled him down for a deep kiss.

"How about we forget you being a complete dumbass, agree we love each other, and move on. That sound okay to you?"

Eliot cagily fell forward so his body was lying flush over his Q. "Yeah sweetheart, I'm okay with that," he pulled Q into a slow kiss, “you still are gonna have to tell me how you are alive though.”

Quentin smiled and pulled Eliot back into a deep kiss, rolling them over so he could straddle his waist.

“Well, maybe that could wait just one more minute.”

“Not even a minute, your stamina is shit El.”

“I'll show you shitty stamina.” He pulled Q down and swallowed up his laughter.

…

“Can you believe that I fixed myself in a fucking _grocery store_?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! So far I have loved your comments and reactions so, let me know what you think about the ending. I'm also working on a oneshot hogwarts AU with Slytherin!Quentin and Hufflepuff!Eliot because every fandom should have at LEAST one. 
> 
> Also, as a side note, try to not have unprotected sex unless both parties consent beforehand and you are both clean. Stay safe folks!


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